Is it possible to model a facade like this?

[pailhead]

I'd like to use these panels to create a facade:

 

 

This is just a simple array going in two directions (XZ plane). They are all rotated for the same angle in both these axis so they can fit (between each two, there is an vertical gap, as wide as one panel, so the ones above could fit).

 

 

But, i don't want the facade to be so uniform, i would like to deform it a bit, make it like wave. I can do this by manually positioning and rotating each of the panels. But besides taking an eternity, i don't think it will look good. It will definitely be chaotic.

 

I was thinking, if it would be possible do to something like this:

 

Create a surface like so:

 

 

Then using this rule, position the panels:

..::PDF-PLAN::..

 

If you can see the green curve, it represents a horizontal and a vertical section through this plane.

The red dimension (150 here, but treat it like a variable) would be the gap that i need (panel width plus a couple of inches).

The gap would be on every floor height (its 1445 in the plan, but treat it like a variable).

The thick black line represents the panel.

 

Having an automated process would give me much freedom to experiment with the form. I could move a few control points and create a different surface and see how it looks with the panels.

Doing it manually, i would probably have to settle for one surface, and then spend hours positioning the dozens of panels on the whole building.

[noi-pi]

This is the fastest solution I could think of.....

 

 

Array those panels vertically and horizontally.

Then GROUP them.

Apply FFD Modifier.

 

With FFD mod you can mould it and move the control points

(but only in Y- direction).

 

It's not that accurate but somebody's got to provide some solution.

[edgy_k]

You could also start from your surface (the green one you posted) and achieve this result by poly subdivision : insets, extrusions, etc. should work pretty well, but maybe not ultra accurate.

[edgy_k]

here's a small video of my try at this :

[pailhead]

Thanks for the help guys, but i did it manually, through backbreaking, bloody and sweaty labor

 

Here is a detail of the panels.

 

 

And here is the link to the thread containing the whole render.

[edgy_k]

Very nice rendering pailhead. It is done in vray ?

Now I realize that noi-pi and I misunderstood what you exactly wanted to achieve. Those panels are idependent and dissociated from one another while we thought they formed one continuous surface. But that raises a question : how are those gaps left between the panels filled ? Did you realise sections and details of these singualr points ? that would be interesting to share as it is an interesting challenge to detail such elements.

[pailhead]

A building like this already exists, it's designed by a Dutch architect René van Zuuk, i just hope that this wont be considered as plagiarism

 

I would really like to see some details though, i'm not really sure how its done, ad since it is very interesting and it looks good, i'd like to find out.

 

I'm not sure if it would be appropriate to contact the panel manufacturer for some details - would they just provide the details on how these panels (the last layer) are connected to the rest of the wall or would they give a whole wall section, the whole panel, floor to celing with all the layers..

 

I mean, maybe the whole wall is a trade secret of Rene Van Zuuk, and the company just advertise their aluminium panels, or maybe the whole wall will be a new element used in architecture, like those concrete panels that were made so popular by the Japanese.

[edgy_k]

I did a little search on the block 16 project by René van Zuuk. If I got it right it seems that the curvy aspect is obtained by the underlying concrete structure as seen in this pic. The panels are then just fixed to that frame.

[pailhead]

How did you find this, i've searched and searched but all i could find are some low res pictures of the finished building.

 

I was wondering if the panels contain termoisolation and other stuff inside them, or do the come just like a flat cap on top of a wall.

[klaas nienhuis]

About the modeling:

I know it's a bit too late...

Use a PatchDeform or SurfDeform modifier. Model the facade straight and use the curved surface (either patch or NURBS surface) as a control plane through either of these modifiers.

When warping the control surface, the facade updates immediately. It's very flexible, though not 100% accurate.

Klaas